1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lounge chairs. More specifically, the present invention describes a tri-fold lounge chair with adjustable arms that can be raised or lowered, and that can be rotated into various positions.
Many people enjoy sunbathing and use lounge chairs while sitting or lying outside in the sun. Using a lounge chair provides sunbathers with more comfort than simply lying on the ground, and many lounge chairs provide the user with the ability to adjust the lounge chair into a variety of positions. While traditional lounge chairs allow the user to adjust the back rest or upper portion of the lounge chair, traditional lounge chairs do not allow users to adjust the armrests of the lounge chair. The inability to adjust the armrests is an inconvenience for sunbathers who may prefer to have the armrests configured in different positions. Further, the fixed armrests of traditional lounge chairs may also inhibit proper exposure of sun to the sunbather's arms. Traditional armrests may cast shadows on the sunbather's arms or otherwise obscure a portion of the user's body.
The present invention relates to an improved lounge chair having adjustable armrests. The lounge chair has an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section, and the upper and lower sections can be adjusted such that the chair can be configured in seated, reclined, or prone positions. Support members are attached to the middle section of the lounge chair, and further comprise a joint at the upper end of each support member. Each armrest is rotatable about the joint such that the armrests can be configured in a variety of positions. The support members further provide a means for adjusting the height of the armrests. When the lounge chair of the present invention is in use, a sunbather is able to adjust the armrests in any position desired regardless of the position of the lounge chair. Additional features that are present in some embodiments of the present invention include apertures in the upper section of the chair through which a user may place their face or arms, a head cushion, and cupholders located in the armrests.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to lounge chairs. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to adjustable lounge chairs. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
One such device in the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 7,832,804 to LaFreniere entitled “Lounge Chair with Adjustable Arm Rests.” LaFreniere discloses a lounge chair having arm rests that are connected to the back rest of the chair by fixed securement devices. The arm rests are rotatable in a variety of directions by means of various types of joint, including for example a ball and socket joint. Further, LaFreniere discloses a lounge chair having a second set of armrests for use when the chair is in a reclined position. Thus, the device disclosed in LaFreniere has arms that can rotate in a variety of directions, but LaFreniere does not disclose a lounge chair having means for adjusting the height of the armrests. This is because the device in LaFreniere has armrests that rotate about fixed joints connected to the back rest of the lounge chair. In contrast, the present invention has armrests connected to support members attached to the middle section of the lounge chair by a means that allows the user to adjust the height of the armrests. Further, LaFreniere discloses a chair having a second set of armrests for use when the sunbather is in a reclined position, whereas the present invention utilizes a single set of armrests.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,703,854 to LaFreniere entitled “Lounge Chair with Adjustable Arm Rests” discloses an adjustable lounge chair having two sets of adjustable arms that can be rotated in various directions. The armrests are connected to the back support of the lounge chair and can be rotated about the connection therewith. A second set of armrests is placed closer to the top structural member of the lounge chair for the purpose of allowing a user lying in a prone position to rest their arms on the arm rests. In contrast to the present invention, LaFreniere discloses two sets of armrests and discloses the armrests as being attached to the back support of the chair. Further, the device in LaFreniere does not provide a means for adjusting the height of the armrests.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,685 to Lindsey entitled “Lounge Chair” discloses an adjustable lounge chair having adjustable arms. The arm support comprises a single component that includes armrests on opposite sides of the upper portion of the lounge chair. The arm support is rotatable about the upper portion of the lounge chair. The device disclosed by Lindsey does not allow the user to adjust each arm rest individually, and the arm support device can only be rotated in one direction and has a limited range of motion. Further, Lindsey does not disclose a device that allows a user to adjust the height of the armrests.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,756 to Liou et al. entitled “Lounge Chair with Improved Arm Rests” discloses a lounge chair having pivotally mounted armrests. The armrests are connected to the backrest and move in unison with movement of the backrest. Further, the armrests are connected to a support member that is pivotally connected with the seat of the chair. Liou discloses an improvement of this pivotal connection that strengthens the connection. Liou does not disclose a chair having armrests that are rotatable in various directions, and the armrests in Liou are coupled with the backrest. The armrests in Liou do not move independently, and the height of the armrests cannot be adjusted.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,717 to Gaylord entitled “Lounge Chair with Movable Arms” discloses a lounge chair having a seat, a back, legs, and armrests. The lounge chair has movable armrests that allow the user to orient the armrests in a raised position, or a lowered position adjacent to the side of the lounge chair. Further, preferred embodiments of the invention include a means of connecting the two armrests so that both armrests could be lowered by a single motion. While Gaylord discloses a lounge chair with armrests that are adjustable in height, Gaylord does not disclose a chair with armrests that can pivot or rotate in a variety of directions. Further, Gaylord discloses a device in which the armrests are connected so that both may be lowered in a single motion. Gaylord also does not disclose a lounge chair having apertures in the upper portion through which a user can place their arms or face.
These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. Some lounge chairs in the prior art disclose armrests that can be rotated or pivoted in a variety of positions using a ball and socket joint. Some devices disclosed movable armrests, but the armrests could only be rotated to a limited extent. Other devices disclosed connecting the armrest to the upper portion of the lounge chair, and did not provide a means for adjusting the height of the armrests. Some devices disclosed in the prior art connected the two armrests of the lounge chair so that they could not move individually, but only as a unit.
In light of the devices in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently, it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing lounge chairs with adjustable armrests. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.